First UK-Built Islander Nears Completion as Britten-Norman Advances Reshoring Programme

Britten-Norman has announced that the first new BN2 Islander to be produced entirely through its reshored UK manufacturing programme has reached 75% completion at the company’s Bembridge facility, marking a significant milestone in the return of full Islander production to Britain.

The aircraft, which is being built for the Falkland Islands Government Air Service (FIGAS), is scheduled to enter final assembly in the coming weeks and will become the first aircraft delivered from Britten-Norman’s new production line on the Isle of Wight.

The manufacturer also confirmed that a second airframe has progressed to almost 25% completion, while components for subsequent aircraft are already moving through production, establishing what the company describes as a continuous manufacturing cadence.

The Bembridge production line represents the culmination of Britten-Norman’s reshoring initiative, which has returned full civil Islander manufacturing to the United Kingdom. Previously, major aircraft assemblies were produced overseas before being shipped to the UK for final assembly.

Since launching the programme, the company has invested in advanced CNC manufacturing equipment and expanded its workforce by more than 40% to support increased production capability.

Significant progress has been made on the lead aircraft since it reached the halfway stage earlier this year. During that period, fuselage sub-assemblies and the fin were joined, fuel tank testing was completed, and the aircraft’s 15-metre wing assembly was finished and mated to the fuselage.

The aircraft has since advanced further down the production line, with installation of the undercarriage, engines, flight control surfaces and remaining onboard systems now well underway.

Richard Milne, Chief Operating Officer at Britten-Norman, said: “Reaching the current level of completion is an excellent achievement for our team and a clear demonstration of the capability we have built at the Bembridge site.

“Each milestone and stage of completion brings us closer to delivering brand-new, British-built Islanders for our customers. The dedication and quality of work achieved by our team is outstanding.”

Looking beyond the current production programme, Britten-Norman revealed that it has secured Letters of Intent from operators in both the regional passenger transport and special mission sectors, signalling continued demand for the versatile twin-engine aircraft.

Alongside new aircraft production, the company is also investing in improved aftermarket support, including parts availability and customer service enhancements, aimed at supporting the global fleet of Islanders currently in operation.

With the first aircraft entering the final stages of assembly, a second airframe progressing through production, and further aircraft already in the manufacturing pipeline, Britten-Norman says it remains on track to deliver the first newly built UK-manufactured Islander to FIGAS as planned.

The milestone represents a significant step for British aerospace manufacturing and reinforces the Isle of Wight’s long-standing association with the iconic utility aircraft, which has served operators worldwide for more than five decades.